Walmart protests hit area

Saturday

Nov 24, 2012 at 6:00 AM

By Priyanka Dayal McCluskey TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

As shoppers streamed inside in search of Black Friday deals, a small group of protesters staged short demonstrations at local Walmart stores yesterday to protest the retail giant’s treatment of workers.

Protesters stood between the registers and the discounted produce at the Worcester Walmart shortly after noon and joined in a chant supporting better pay, benefits and hours for Walmart workers.

The protesters continued chanting loudly until security and store managers said they were disrupting customers and asked them to leave.

One demonstrator tried to hand a flier to an employee working at a register. As she reached out to take the flier, a man who appeared to be her manager said: “Don’t.You’ll be fired.”

Asked about his comment, the man did not respond.

The demonstrators, who are affiliated with Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, eventually left the store and relocated outside the entrance. After a few minutes of distributing fliers to customers entering the superstore, they were told to leave again.

The group staged a similar protest earlier in the day at the Northboro Walmart, where police were on hand to monitor the situation. The protests were among a number across Massachusetts and across the country.

Nancy Hilliard of Clinton said she joined the demonstration because she believes the Wal-Mart corporation doesn’t pay its employees enough money to pay for food and health care.

“Not shopping here is no longer enough,” she said.

Lily Huang, an organizer for Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, also said Walmart employees deserve better. “I’m here today because I’ve heard about the workers who are trying to fight for livable wages, for health care, for flexible scheduling,” she said.

No employees were part of the protests in Northboro or Worcester. A few workers turned out at a protest in Ware. There, 10-year employee Sarah Heinonen of Warren said she is frustrated because of what she called intimidation of workers.

“I’m out here to try to get a little more awareness of Walmart’s practices of retaliation and intimidation,” she said.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., while boasting of its best Black Friday ever, said only a tiny fraction of its 1.3 million employees participated in the protests. The protests were coordinated by a national group called Organization United for Respect.

“We are aware of a few dozen protests at our stores today. The number of associates that have missed their scheduled shift today is more than 60 percent less than Black Friday last year.” David Tovar, vice president of corporate communications, said in a company statement.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart employs 11,694 people at 49 stores in Massachusetts. The average wage for a full-time Walmart employee in the state is $13.67 an hour, according to the company. But like many retailers, Walmart relies heavily on part-time workers.

Other retailers, including Target Corp., faced backlash yesterday — the biggest shopping day of the year — for forcing employees to work on Thanksgiving Day. Massachusetts laws prohibit retailers from opening on Thanksgiving, but many workers had to report to work around midnight, as big chain stores started Black Friday deals earlier than ever this year.

Most customers continued with their shopping as demonstrations took place at local Walmart stores yesterday, but Sherry Loiselle of Worcester left her cart in the aisle when she heard protesters chanting in Worcester.

“I’m leaving the store,” she told the group as she walked out. “There should be a change. I honestly believe in your cause.”